Vegetarian foods high in Iron

Red meat and poultry dominate this ranking because their iron binds easily to the proteins that carry oxygen through your blood. Animal tissues contain haem iron, the form your body absorbs with the fewest obstacles. Plant foods hold non-haem iron, which your gut takes up less readily and only when other compounds in the meal do not block it.

Iron concentrates in organ meats, then muscle meats, then leafy greens and legumes. A single ranking cannot show you absorption rates. Two foods with the same iron count per 100 g deliver different amounts to your bloodstream depending on what else you eat alongside them.

Without animal foods, you lose access to haem iron. Plant sources and fortified foods supply non-haem iron instead, which your body absorbs at a lower rate and loses to interference from phytates, tannins and polyphenols in the same meal. Eating vitamin C alongside iron-rich plants improves uptake substantially. Many fortified cereals and plant milks contain added iron in amounts comparable to meat, but absorption remains the limiting factor on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

FDA daily value: 18 mg

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Showing 1551–1600 of 8,274 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV Source
1551 Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, flour, shelf stable Baked Products 3.32 mg 18% USDA_SR
1552 Rice, spanish rice mix, unprepared Mixed Dishes 3.32 mg 18% CNF
1553 Nuts, coconut meat, desiccated, unsweetened Nuts and Seeds 3.32 mg 18% CNF
1554 Olive, ripe, canned, jumbo to super colossal Fruits and fruit juices 3.32 mg 18% CNF
1555 Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, without salt Nut and Seed Products 3.31 mg 18% USDA_SR
1556 Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 3.31 mg 18% USDA_SR
1557 Bread, made with milk, commercial, toasted Baked Products 3.31 mg 18% CNF
1558 Cake, date square (matrimonial cake), homemade Baked Products 3.31 mg 18% CNF
1559 Bread, white with raisins, commercial, toasted Baked Products 3.31 mg 18% CNF
1560 Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted Nuts and Seeds 3.31 mg 18% CNF
1561 Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, salted Nuts and Seeds 3.31 mg 18% CNF
1562 Flour, barley Cereal Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% USDA_FF
1563 Cereals, QUAKER, Whole Wheat Natural Cereal, dry Breakfast Cereals 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1564 Cereals ready-to-eat, POST SELECTS Blueberry Morning Breakfast Cereals 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1565 Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, flour, without added calcium Baked Products 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1566 Biscuits, plain or buttermilk, frozen, baked Baked Products 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1567 Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts, blanched Nut and Seed Products 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1568 Borage, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1569 Nuts, coconut milk, canned (liquid expressed from grated meat and water) Nut and Seed Products 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1570 Pasta, dry, enriched Cereal Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1571 Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, spinach, as purchased Cereal Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1572 Ascidians (tunughnak) (Alaska Native) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 3.30 mg 18% USDA_SR
1573 Cake, gingerbread, dry mix, prepared, without icing Baked Products 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1574 Pasta, spaghetti, enriched, dry Cereals, Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1575 Pasta, macaroni (elbow), enriched, dry Cereals, Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1576 Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, spinach, as purchased Cereals, Grains and Pasta 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1577 Biscuit, plain/buttermilk, frozen, baked Baked Products 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1578 Tortilla, ready-to-bake / fry, flour Baked Products 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1579 Nuts, filberts or hazelnuts, dried, blanched Nuts and Seeds 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1580 Nuts, coconut milk (liquid from grated meat and water), canned Nuts and Seeds 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1581 Borage, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1582 Olive, ripe, canned, small to extra large Fruits and fruit juices 3.30 mg 18% CNF
1583 Granola bar, chewy, fruit flavour, soy protein added, yogourt coated Baked Products 3.29 mg 18% CNF
1584 English muffin, multigrain (also granola), toasted Baked Products 3.29 mg 18% CNF
1585 Rolls, hard (includes kaiser) Baked Products 3.28 mg 18% USDA_SR
1586 Nuts, almonds, blanched Nut and Seed Products 3.28 mg 18% USDA_SR
1587 Roll (kaiser), hard Baked Products 3.28 mg 18% CNF
1588 Nuts, almonds, dried, blanched, unroasted Nuts and Seeds 3.28 mg 18% CNF
1589 Beverages, chocolate powder, no sugar added Beverages 3.27 mg 18% USDA_SR
1590 Chicken, meatless Legumes and Legume Products 3.27 mg 18% USDA_SR
1591 DENNY'S, top sirloin steak Restaurant Foods 3.27 mg 18% USDA_SR
1592 Beverage mix, chocolate flavour, powder, no added sugar Beverages 3.27 mg 18% CNF
1593 Meatless, chicken Legumes and Legume Products 3.27 mg 18% CNF
1594 Cereals ready-to-eat, MOM'S BEST, Sweetened WHEAT-FULS Breakfast Cereals 3.26 mg 18% USDA_SR
1595 Currant, zante, dried Fruits and fruit juices 3.26 mg 18% CNF
1596 Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, compressed Baked Products 3.25 mg 18% USDA_SR
1597 Bread, stuffing, cornbread, dry mix Baked Products 3.25 mg 18% USDA_SR
1598 Bread, naan, plain, commercially prepared, refrigerated Baked Products 3.25 mg 18% USDA_SR
1599 Cereal, ready to eat, Peanut Butter Granola, Nature's Path Breakfast cereals 3.25 mg 18% CNF
1600 Indian, bread, naan Baked Products 3.25 mg 18% CNF

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